The degree of nutrient enhancement during the newborn period may modulate programming of appetite-regulating hormones, body composition, and propensity to adult obesity in intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) newborns. Pregnant rats received, from day 10 to term gestation and throughout lactation, ad libitum food (AdLib) or 50% food restriction (FR) to produce IUGR newborns. AdLib vs. FR offspring were studied at day 1, and, to create two distinct groups of newborn catch-up growth (immediate, delayed) among the IUGR newborns, cross-fostering techniques were employed. The four groups of pups at 3 wk were IUGR immediate catch-up growth (FR/AdLib), IUGR delayed catch-up growth (FR/FR), control (AdLib/AdLib), and lactation FR control (AdLib/FR). From 3 wk to 9 mo, all offspring had AdLib rat chow. Maternal FR during pregnancy resulted in IUGR pups (6.0 +/- 0.3 vs. 7.1 +/- 0.3 g, P < 0.01) with decreased leptin (0.66 +/- 0.03 vs. 1.63 +/- 0.12 ng/ml, P < 0.001) and increased ghrelin (0.43 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.26 +/- 0.02 ng/ml, P < 0.001). Maternal FR during lactation (FR/FR) further impaired IUGR offspring growth at 3 wk. However, by 9 mo, these pups attained normal body weight, percent body fat, and plasma leptin levels. Conversely, IUGR offspring nursed by AdLib dams (FR/AdLib) exhibited rapid catch-up growth at 3 wk and continued accelerated growth, resulting in increased weight, percent body fat, and plasma leptin levels. Thus the degree of newborn nutrient enhancement and timing of IUGR newborn catch-up growth may determine the programming of orexigenic hormones and offspring obesity.

We investigated whether in utero exposure to the Gram(-) bacteriotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces dopamine (DA) neuron loss in rats. The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) kills DA neurons and is elevated in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). LPS is a potent inducer of TNF-alpha, and both are increased in the chorioamniotic environment of women who have bacterial vaginosis (BV) during pregnancy, suggesting that BV might interfere with the normal development of fetal DA neurons. Gravid female rats were injected intraperitoneally with either LPS or normal saline at embryonic day 10.5 and their pups were killed at postnatal day 21. The brains of the pups were assessed for DA and TNF-alpha levels and DA cell counts in the mesencephalon using tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive (THir) cells as a DA neuron marker. Prenatal LPS exposure significantly reduced striatal DA (29%) and increased DA activity (72%) as well as TNF-alpha (101%). Stereological cell counts in the mesencephalon were also significantly reduced (27%) by prenatal LPS exposure. Prenatal exposure to LPS, as might occur in humans with BV, produces a significant loss of THir cells in rats that is still present 33 days following a single injection of LPS. Since this cell loss is well past the normal phase of DA neuron apoptosis that occurs in early postnatal life, rats so exposed may have a permanent loss of DA neurons, suggesting that prenatal infections may represent risk factors for PD.

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Perinatal infections are a risk factor for fetal neurological pathologies, including cerebral palsy and schizophrenia. Cytokines that are produced as part of the inflammatory response are proposed to partially mediate the neurological injury. This study investigated the effects of intraperitoneal injections of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to pregnant rats on the production of cytokines and stress markers in the fetal environment. Gestation day 18 pregnant rats were treated with LPS (100 microg/kg body wt i.p.), and maternal serum, amniotic fluid, placenta, chorioamnion, and fetal brain were harvested at 1, 6, 12, and 24 h posttreatment to assay for LPS-induced changes in cytokine protein (ELISA) and mRNA (real-time RT-PCR) levels. We observed induction of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the maternal serum within 6 h of LPS exposure. Similarly, proinflammatory cytokines were induced in the amniotic fluid in response to LPS; however, no significant induction of IL-10 was observed in the amniotic fluid. LPS-induced mRNA changes included upregulation of the stress-related peptide corticotropin-releasing factor in the fetal whole brain, TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-10 in the chorioamnion, and TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 in the placenta. These findings suggest that maternal infections may lead to an unbalanced inflammatory reaction in the fetal environment that activates the fetal stress axis.

Objective-Modulation of growth of intrauterine growth retarded (IUGR) newborns causes either adult obesity or normalization of body weight and fat. We investigated the impact of rapid versus delayed catch-up growth of IUGR offspring on glucose and lipid profiles.Study Design-From 10d to term gestation and through lactation, control pregnant rats received ad libitum food, whereas study rats were 50% food-restricted. Glucose and lipid profiles were determined in offspring at ages, 1 day, 3 weeks and 9 months.Results-Food-restriction during pregnancy produced hypoglycemic IUGR pups. Those permitted rapid catch-up growth demonstrated adult obesity with insulin-resistance (hyperglycemia/ hyperinsulinemia) and hypertriglyceridemia. Conversely, IUGR exhibiting delayed catch-up growth demonstrated normal adult body weight and insulin-deficiency (hyperglycemia/hypoinsulinemia) and elevated cholesterol levels. Conclusion-The timing and rate of IUGR newborn catch-up growth causes markedly altered adult phenotypes. Although delayed newborn catch-up growth may be beneficial in prevention of adult obesity, there may be significant adverse effects on pancreatic function.

Maternal food restriction during pregnancy results in intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) newborns with significantly decreased plasma leptin levels. When nursed by ad libitum-fed controls, IUGR offspring exhibit hyperphagia with adult obesity, marked by increased percentage body fat and plasma leptin, suggesting altered anorexigenic pathways. The authors examined leptin signaling pathways and food intake responses to 2 putative anorexic effectors (leptin and sibutramine, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor) in IUGR offspring. From 10 days to term gestation and through lactation, control pregnant rats received ad libitum food, whereas study rats were 50% food restricted. Following birth, litter size was standardized, and all offspring were nursed by control dams. At 3 weeks of age, offspring were weaned to ad libitum laboratory chow. At ages 1 day and 3 weeks, hypothalamic leptin receptor (Ob-Rb) mRNA and total STAT3 protein expression were determined. In addition, phosphorylated STAT3 was measured in 1-day-old offspring administered peripheral leptin. In prepubescent and adult offspring, anorexic effects of leptin and sibutramine were determined. At 1 day of age, IUGR pups showed increased hypothalamic Ob-Rb mRNA and total STAT3 protein expression though reduced leptin activated phosphorylated STAT3. At 3 weeks of age, IUGR offspring had decreased hypothalamic Ob-Rb mRNA expression, although with continued elevated STAT3 protein levels. The IUGR offspring demonstrated resistance to anorexigenic agents, leptin (6 weeks and 6 months), and sibutramine (8 months), as evidenced by less reduction in food intake and less body weight loss than controls. The IUGR offspring demonstrate suppressed leptin-induced STAT3 phosphorylation and impaired anorexigenic response to 2 factors in the central satiety pathway. This reduced anorexigenic function, together with normal or perhaps enhanced orexigenic function, contributes to the development of programmed obesity in IUGR rat offspring.

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